CAIRO: Youm7's Editor-in-Chief Khaled Salah expressed his sympathy for broadcaster Yousri Fouda who suspended his TV program Akher Kalam on Friday October 21 as an objection against the deterioration of freedom of press. During a phone call to TV talk show Al-Kahera Al-Youm, Salah unveiled the approach of restrictions and oppression imposed on the freedom of press repeated in one way or another, such as confiscating newspapers and banning to broadcast certain TV shows. "Everyone should know Egypt is now liberated but not yet the press, still under restrictions," Salah said. Fouda is keen on his freedom regardless of its price, Salah added, intervened and made phone calls to solve this problem and to find out the reason behind suspension of Fouda's show. Salah however said what he found out is confidential and cannot be stated on air. The matter is still ambiguous and needs more clarifications from Fouda and ONTV channel's administration, Salah noted. Fouda has the right to unveil if there is any pressure from Egypt's ruling military council to cancel his TV show, Salah said, adding what Fouda did send a dangerous message. Salah rejects practicing any pressure against the free conscience. "There are still pressures imposed on us to ban certain publications. Those who practice these pressures do not know there are social media means cannot be closed including Facebook and Twitter," Salah said. Salah wrote an opinion article questioning the military council about the kind of threats they could make if court testimonies published in media means if the publishing ban is imposed to protect the person or value? Fouda was scheduled to introduce the prominent Egyptian novelist Alaa el-Aswani and journalist Ibrahim Eissa as guests on Fouda's show to comment on ‘10:00 P.M.' TV show that hosted two members of the military council and Eessa last Wednesday October 19.
